A celebratory return to the past while heading into the future.
Tangerine Dream: FROM VIRGIN TO QUANTUM YEARS: COVENTRY CATHEDRAL 22
In 1975 the classic line-up of Tangerine Dream- Edgar Froese, Peter Baumann and Christopher Franke played a now legendary performance at the Coventry Cathedral. In 2022 the current line up consisting of Thorsten Quaeschning, Hoshiko Yamane and Paul Frick -with special guest Steve Rothery, agreed to a return performance reflecting on both the past through to their recent music.
For me being a very casual listener, it’s like reentering their musical world a fresh. I had a few records in the past, mainly some of their Virgin classics, than I stumbled over a record that I didn’t like in the 80’s and sort of jumped the shark. But I always been intrigued to return back into their ambient musical universe. It’s clear that the electronica the band pioneered has had such a major influence on modern music for the last 55 years that you can hear it in everything from the most far out techno through electro pop to the neoclassical composer Max Richter reimagining The Four Seasons.
it also feels as if that influence has circled back into the TD sound as well. The music here is based on the melodic themes rather then the avant garde. Even the 70’s material like ”Stratosphear” and ”Ricochet ” are arranged to emphasis on the themes that those works had as recognisable hooks.
This music is meant to be enjoyed as a whole. It’s a journey. It’s telling that the music works best when I stop learning and researching the titles of the individual tracks and rather just loose myself in the music as one flowing experience. It’s music that draws you in and takes you places. Listening to a whole concert like this helps you to ”be” in this space. That is truly positive and uplifting. It does not mater what each individual track is called or from what period they’re from, the sum is absolutely bigger than its parts.
I also think this music really deserves your attention as a listener, this is not background music.
The written material ranges from 1974 and Phaedra through to the Raum material from 2022.
Several pieces are performed with special guest Steve Rothery from Marillion sitting ln on guitar. Fleshing out the pieces with guitar textures. The combination works well for instance on the the encore Cloudburst Flight
Rothery is also featured on what I think is jewel in this set. The Coventry 22 Session is 35 minutes of classic TD improvisation that starts of with slow washes of ambient notes and than moves into this hypnotic groove where Rothery and the band finds their way in this six part odyssey that is a real gem. With the guitar and what sounds like a violin tradin long swooping notes over a classic synth rhythm that pulsates and shimmers at the same time. It’s just thrilling that the band ends this celebratory gig with fresh improvised music.
This release comes in many different variants. My strong advice is to go for the versions that features the Coventry improv. It features on the 2-CD version as well as the full concert 3- CD version. On that one you also get a 48 page book and a Blu-ray of the concert.
With nearly 130 releases under the TD monicker one can wonder who this release is aimed at. The Überfan who has everything, the casual electronica fan who wants to check out were the band is at at the moment, or the newbie who wants to dipp the toe and wants to start with a recent live experience.
Probably it is aimed at them all but perhaps it’s a great way to show of the legacy that this German musical institution has had for so long by returning to Coventry Cathedral to celebrate its past, present and future.
8/10
Pontus Norshammar | Now Spinning Magazine
